Once you have completed part one, read over the party platforms on taxes and economic policies. This page on the Globe and Mail is a good starting point. There are links to each party’s website where there are more details.

Which party platform do you prefer? Comment and give reasons on this post.

The government of Will World has decided it is necessary to increase taxes. They are considering four different options:

A 15% tax on business profits

An 8% sales tax

A increase in income taxes by 5%

A tarriff on energy imports of $5 per unit (excise tax)

Before we look at the best tax for Will World, lets consider taxes in general.

Income Taxes – Unicorn

Sales Taxes – LGT

Corporate Taxes – Magnum

Property Taxes – SINJ

Capital Gains Taxes – CDsquaredK

Excise Taxes (includes ‘sin’ taxes, tariffs) – Mangoe

Each group has been assigned a tax. In your groups, research your assigned tax and develop the three most convincing arguments for why your tax is the best option and the three most convincing arguments for why your tax worst option.

Criteria for a ‘good’ tax:

Raises sufficient funds for the government (we aren’t looking for a specific dollar value but the tax has to be effective at actually raising revenue for the government)

Equitable (this is difficult to define when discussing taxes – consider who bares most of the burden of paying the tax – it is equal? fair?)

Minimizes inefficiencies while maximizing social benefit – any tax will reduce the efficiency of the economy, you want to minimize this while providing the maximum social benefit possible. (social benefits can include encouraging positive behaviour, reducing negative externalities, reducing inequality, increasing standard of living, etc.)

Create a blog post that summarizes your tax. Briefly describe it and your three arguments for and against your tax.

For homework, read over all the posts and comment on which tax you think is ‘best’ on this post.

For those of you interested in developing a negative incentive solution for lates during my first period class, use the comment section of the post to develop a list of realistic, feasible negative incentives. The incentives cannot involve money. They can involve a small number of marks.

For those of you interested in developing a positive incentive solution for lates during my first period class, use the comment section of the post to develop a list of realistic, feasible positive incentives.

Are there any rules or exceptions you would want enforced?

My first period class, BTA 3O1, is 16 students. I am willing to spend up to $10 a month as part of an incentives program that works.